"I Know the Game Like I'm Reffing It"















Sunday, January 22, 2017

Knicks vs. Suns Notes: Kncks Lose Again, Anthony Plays Well Despite Crowd's Groans

As we all know, the Knicks have been a disaster (to borrow a phrase from Donald Trump) of late. The Knicks came into Saturday night's game vs the lowly Phoenix Suns (15-29) with a 19-25 record, having won only three of their last ten games.

 

The Knicks continued their losing ways Saturday, falling to the Suns in excruciating fashion, 107-105.

 

Here are some Knicks takeaways from the game:



 

• After Carmelo Anthony's game-winning three-point attempt rolled around the rim and out, Anthony was consoled by a young fan with a pat on the back and what appeared to be some kind words, but Anthony couldn't recall what the fan said: “I was zoned out and trying to relive that play and relive that shot. It was a tough one to see not go in.”
• Anthony actually played a great all around game, scoring 31 points on 9/17 shooting to go along with seven rebounds and a team-leading six assists. The crowd seemed restless with Anthony throughout, however, often becoming audibly antsy if he took more than two dribbles in the half court before passing. It looks as if the fans have followed the New York media’s directive, as far as creating the “Melo-ball-stopper” narrative, despite Anthony's recent willing and effective passing. It is no secret that much of the sports media have little love for Anthony. When it came to NBA All-Star voting, among Eastern Conference front court players, Anthony ranked sixth in player voting, sixth in fan voting, and haterific 12th when it came to the media. Hmm...
• Kristaps Porzingis started off the game pretty passive, but became more aggressive in the second half. He seems to be trying to get back in the flow after dealing with the Achilles injury.
• Derrick Rose played well offensively, despite missing 14 of his 26 shot attempts. However, he continues to battle the referees who do not seem to be giving him the calls he deserves. Rose looked visibly distraught on a couple of occasions where the referees refused to blow the whistle, though he denied that he takes it personally after the game. “It just makes me better, makes me play more efficient,” he said in response to whether the lack of respect from referees was starting to frustrate him.
• Ron Baker continued to get meaningful minutes, as he played much of crunch time. Baker provided a solid defensive effort, which has been hard to come by on the Knicks roster this season.

 

Thursday, January 5, 2017

They Don't Get Odell Beckham Jr's Timbs In The Summer



If you are alive, are a sports fan, have a Twitter account, listen to sports talk radio or watch it on television, then you’ve heard all about how Odell Beckham Jr. and some of his New York Giants teammates snuck off to Miami for a quick one-day vacation earlier this week.

If you’re smart, you understand that this is a meaningless story seemingly meant to irritate Giants’ fans into a link-clicking, sports-talking frenzy before Big Blue’s playoff visit to Green Bay this Sunday.

Mission accomplished. A trip to Miami on a day off has been a topic of discussion for two full days.

As asinine as that may be, the most frustrating part of the coverage to me has been the focus on what the rain-dodging players were and were not wearing.

As faux concerned as many media members are about players having the audacity to have fun on their day off, there seems to be genuine concern or bewilderment about the wardrobe choice of the people in the now infamous picture on the boat.

Black guys in jeans and Timberland boots on a sunny day in Miami seemed to shock the conscience of the mainstream white media. For a black guy like me, it was simply a routine fashion statement, nothing strange about it.

Yes, I’m from Brooklyn, New York, likely the birth place of the aforementioned fashion statement – of which I partook in my younger days – so, I am perhaps more familiar with the style than others. But, for god’s sake, have people not paid attention to hip-hop and its culture for the past thirty years?

That was a rhetorical question. I know they have. I’ve seen the numbers.

So, what’s so shocking or noteworthy, or even funny about black guys in Timbs and jeans on a boat?

It is surely no longer a shock to me when I see white guys in shorts and flip flops on a cold day in Chicago, or when I see “that fat guy” with no shirt on in freezing temperatures, that we are sure to see this weekend, cheering on the Packers.

Sometimes you just have to shake your head and say, hey, I may not get it, but do you! Express yourself!

The guys in that picture looked sharp to me. Jeans, boots, sneakers, skullcaps and all, they rocked it well.

Maybe some good will come out of this “coverage.” Maybe the next time white people see a picture of rich black guys in a warm climate wearing boots and hats it’ll be recognized as a style and not held up to ridicule.
I won’t hold my breath, but it’s a nice thought.

After all, we let collared shirts tucked into jeans live. So hey, let jeans and Timberlands with no shirt and a skullcap live, too.

Let us live.